200 and counting!

Ornaments, that is! Yes, this year, I reached a milestone as I passed the 200 mark (203 to be exact) with my stitched ornaments. There are actually only 181 on this tree, though, because 22 of them are displayed in my Pottery Barn cubby. My tree is up and the presents are patiently resting underneath just waiting to be opened on Christmas morning. In keeping with tradition, we'll let my grandson open one present on Christmas Eve and I bet I know exactly which one he'll choose--the largest one! Do you have any traditions when it comes to your tree or gift opening? We try to open our gifts one by one, but with nine people this Christmas morning, that may take a bit too long. We'll see what happens! I'm so looking forward to this entire weekend and the following week--family time with all nine of us present is so rare these days. I'm going to treasure each moment... (well, maybe not all of the cooking :) 

My cross-stitch Christmas tree: 2023

Here are a few close-ups for you from top to bottom...

Love the trio of Prairie Schooler angels

And here is the view from my sunroom  into the family room where I have another tiny tree on my bookshelf. 

 The little tree on the bookshelf  on the right is just two feet high and has a mixture of gingerbread ornaments and snowflakes.

Did you happen to notice the tiny elf peeking out at you in the first photo on the left? He is making an appearance after many years of being boxed up in the attic because my grandson will be here this year and I know he'll love him! This elf was a constant Christmas companion when my sons were growing up. When he is turned on, his arm moves back and forth as if he were sawing wood. (It actually looks like he's about to cut his own arm off, but... ) I can't wait to see my grandson's reaction when he first sees him. 

I'm sure 3-year-old "Mister B" will be enchanted by this 21-inch elf!

Love the view at night, too--my sunroom is filled with windows, skylights, and doors and the reflection of the tree lights is almost magical.

"Blue Christmas"... I mentioned earlier that 22 of my ornaments are not on my tree, but are displayed in my Pottery Barn cubby this year. I chose to pull many of the blue-themed ornaments and display them in the cubby in my family room. If you look closely, you'll see that most of them are snowmen or Santas, but there are a few houses and a pretty bird, as well. You probably know by this time that my favorite color is blue so this display certainly makes me smile each time I walk by!

My "Blue Christmas" cubby

Here are some close-ups. I'm sorry, I don't have time right now to identify each ornament in this post, but if you have a question about a particular one, just email me (make sure to include your email address, too!), and I'll get back to you with an answer.

What do you think? Do you have a favorite? I think mine is the crescent-shaped Prairie Schooler Santa in the lower left space. And you know what one of the best things is about this display?  I can simply replace the Santas with other snow-themed finishes and leave it up all winter! 

♥ And in the very center, as always, is the silhouette of my dear mother ♥

This is actually one of my favorite days of the year! Why, you may ask? Well, it's simply because, after today, the days will start getting longer again. I relish the extra light in the evenings, even though it may not be noticeable for a while yet. I still remember, very vividly, a moment with my second son who was born in early December 1985. Like any young mother, I was exhausted and a bit depressed. One January evening, while I sat in his bedroom singing to him as we rocked back and forth in the creaky wooden rocking chair, I happened to glance out the window. My eyes widened and my tired face brightened as I realized it was still light out--even at almost 6 PM! Somehow, that fact soothed me and I knew brighter days were coming. From that moment on, I always associated the Winter Solstice with the start of lighter, brighter days...

In four days another Christmas will dawn. I hope it's a very special one for each of you. I'll have my entire family with me this year so I'm sure it will be for me. But, I know some of you are far from your families or dealing with serious illnesses or worries. I'm sure it's hard to be "merry" under those circumstances. So, my wish for you is a peaceful Christmas, my friends. Take care now and I'll see you soon. Bye for now...

Wishing you a peaceful Christmas